vorzuschreiben

Vorzuschreiben is a German verb meaning to prescribe or to dictate something as mandatory, usually by an authority. It denotes an obligation or set of rules that others are expected to follow. The term can apply to medical treatment, administrative guidelines, or other instructions.

Grammatical notes: Vorschreiben is a separable verb. In the present tense it commonly appears as schiebt the prefix apart:Der Arzt schreibt dem Patienten eine Behandlung vor. In infinitive form it is vorschreiben. The past participle is vorgeschrieben, as in Der Arzt hat dem Patienten eine Behandlung vorgeschrieben. The passive and impersonal constructions are Es wird vorgeschrieben, dass … bzw. Es wird vorgeschrieben.

Contexts and usage: Vorschreiben is often used for rules, regulations, or instructions issued by authorities or organizations. It is also found in legal or administrative language, where a standard or requirement is mandated. In medical language, prescribing medication is more commonly expressed with verschreiben (to write a prescription) or verordnen (to prescribe treatment); in such cases verschreiben is the standard term, while vorgeschreiben tends to refer to non-medical instructions or to formal rules.

Related terms and contrasts: The noun form Vorschrift means an instruction, rule, or regulation. Verordnung is a formal decree, often issued by a government. Verordnen means to order or prescribe, especially in medical contexts or formal directives. Vorscireiben should not be confused with these terms, though all relate to setting requirements.

Examples: Der Staat schreibt den Bürgern vor, die Sicherheitsvorschriften einzuhalten. Der Lehrer schreibt den Schülerinnen und Schülern vor, jeden Tag eine Stunde zu lesen. Der Arzt hat dem Patienten eine Behandlung vorgeschrieben.